It’s astonishing that England will go into their World Cup opener as underdogs against Argentina – Sir Clive Woodward on why English rugby has hit rock bottom – and how it can rise again

England and English rugby enter the World Cup in a sorry state. The defeat against Fiji came as a shock to many, but it was a result that lay in wait.

It was a low point that this England team fought hard for, but a low point that the RFU are determined to reach! England left Japan and the World Cup final four years ago thinking they would get there again in 2023, and all was rosy. It was extremely naive to assume that.

Eddie Jones and his players did a great job to reach the final and victory over New Zealand in the last four was a highlight. But they got their preparation all wrong for the final with South Africa.

England were hit hard and the loss to the Springboks should have been the proof the team needed to reach even higher levels.

To get things right on the field, you have to get things right off it first. English rugby is currently seriously adrift in both areas.

Less than three years after the 2019 final, I stood at the Stade de France in March 2022 while working for ITV, watching France celebrate a Six Nations Grand Slam after beating England 25-13.

The difference between the two teams was astonishing. The score flattered England and twelve months later the gap widened as France won 53-10 at Twickenham.

The problems are not just at the national level. Three Premier League teams have gone into administration, endangering the livelihoods of players and staff and putting pressure on other clubs.

The RFU and Premiership Rugby have been torn over the salary cap. The same infighting that has endured since the game turned professional still exists today. Clubs live from hand to mouth.

The biggest losers are the players and coaches, without whom we have no game. Our age groups, once a great production line of talent, are getting sorely beaten. It was alarming to see England lose to Georgia at Under 20 level.

The championship and base game seem to be largely neglected by the RFU, which is a colossal missed development opportunity.

The women’s game is successful. They should have won the last World Cup, but were Six Nations Grand Slam champions again and played in front of a record Twickenham crowd this year. That’s heartwarming.

This week, English cricket confirmed that the women’s players would be paid the same as the men, and it would be great if English rugby soon followed suit.

John Mitchell is a good guy, but his appointment as the new Red Roses head coach is just another job for the old boys club. England should look for rugby player Sarina Wiegman. I can continue.

Who at the RFU will take responsibility for this? Every major metric is going in the wrong direction. Fans can still pour into Twickenham on a Six Nations weekend, but it’s foolish to assume that will always be the case.

The crowd for the Fiji match was poor and that should be of concern to the RFU.

I hate looking to other teams for answers. But it stares the English game in the face, especially with the World Cup about to begin.

French rugby shows how far England has fallen behind. In England we have been tied to orthodox thinking for too long. The French TOP14 has taken a global position and has reaped the benefits. They packed the stadiums week in, week out.

They pay their players handsomely and the fans are rewarded with great rugby. It’s no wonder the English stars want to play and coach in France. I would.

On an international level, France is a blockbuster. They have assembled a coaching team that is as focused as it is talented.

Most eerie of all, Shaun Edwards, one of England’s most successful coaches, takes center stage. How could the RFU have let that happen? The answer is very simple.

I now spend a lot of time in France as a sports director at the International Ski Academy Apex2100. One of our ski coaches showed me an interview with French head coach Fabien Galthie. It was brilliant. It made me wish I was a player again. And French too!

Galthie spoke of France embracing their Gallic emotions and intuition. “A player is capable of achieving something very special at any time,” said Galthie.

“That’s what we’re all trying to do. We can go back to four out of ten, but soon, with our freedom of expression, we can go to fourteen out of ten. I want to focus on the qualities and real potential of players and every player who does something brilliant.’

Galthie went on to say that when a player creates a ‘special’ moment, it is the responsibility of the rest of the team to match him and embrace the freedom. He calls it the ‘French flower’.

This kind of approach has always been at the heart of French rugby. Occasionally we’ve had it in England too, but criminally it’s been largely eradicated. Most coaches in England prefer a structured, exhaustive game.

Ireland has found a good mix of both. Not only does their international team have a well-defined, exciting identity, but that style of play is also coached at regional, club, age group and even school levels.

In England we are miles behind, but we are not without hope. France underperformed for years, but the prospect of their own World Cup forced them to make radical changes. The RFU should heed this and do the same, but I’m not sure they have the leadership strength to do so.

England may be going into this World Cup in a mess, but I refuse to believe they are out. We are ready for the most extraordinary World Cup ever and England are more than capable of causing a stir. Beating Argentina in the first pool match would be just that.

England being the underdog against the Cougars is amazing and shows how far we have fallen. England enter this World Cup in eighth place in the world, behind Argentina, Fiji and Scotland. That is not good enough for a country like ours.

Despite a series of poor performances, little squad clarity and a serious lack of confidence, I still believe England can reach the semi-finals. Argentina, Japan, Fiji, Wales and Australia are realistically their biggest obstacles to getting to that stage.

What worries me is that regardless of England’s World Cup performance, rugby in this country is on the verge of collapse.

If you had told me 20 years ago that England would go into 2023 and still have only won one World Cup, I would never have believed you.

You could poll the players and coaches over the years. Or you can look at the suits in charge. It is clear to me where the fault lines lie.